Channeling Kate’s Style: India Tour Version

Who didn’t love the recent Royal Tour in India? Kate brought some fabulous style to the table, including some really interesting boho chic looks, as well as some amazing casual outfits too. I loved her hiking outfit and had to snap up her Jaeger linen blouse (still available from John Lewis here) – and I accessorised it with a replikate of her Pickett London scarf, this coral John Lewis wrap. Much cheaper, but still a really pretty and soft piece for summer nights!

But this wasn’t the only tour purchase I made! As soon as I saw Kate’s beautiful Paul & Joe cape I had to snap it up…

But there’s an epic story here in how I managed to track it down… I saw the update about her outfit about an hour after the ID was made (darn those time zone differences) and missed out on ordering it from Net A Porter. So I set myself up on the waiting list (surely hopeless!) and then moped over the listing on the US site (where it was still available). I phoned them up to see if they could sell it to me through their UK site – not a chance of that, I’d have to order it from the US. So with $55 delivery fee plus customs I was wondering whether I really wanted to pay £200 more for this thing to get it sent from America… (The answer is no, I’m not that crazy yet.)

Then I emailed Paul & Joe’s website to ask if they were getting any more in stock and they basically said they might do… (Very vague! And on their Instagram page they’re still giving out an email address for enquiries which makes me wonder if they will re-release it…)

In desperation, at lunchtime I phoned up Paul & Joe’s flagship store in London to see if they had any. Well, they had ONE LEFT! I immediately asked if I could buy it over the phone and they said I could! So out came my card right away… It arrived the next day and I love it!

Look at the gorgeous stitching and beautiful colours – the fabric itself is very thin even though it’s made of wool, making it a great choice for spring and summer evenings. Although I enjoyed Kate’s styling with this, I’m going to wear it very simply with jeans and white shirts – perhaps even the white Reiss Vinnie blouse Kate wore recently?

On the tour, there were also plenty of lovely new accessories, including the Monsoon taupe wedges and Accessorize filigree earrings, which I coupled with a really old Accessorize clutch I bought for Ascot. This is an easy combo for summer – and Kate’s already shown the versatility of these wedges by wearing them with a pair of jeans and a Breton top from J.Crew recently! (One note – to me these seem to be very tight in my usual size, and they’re also not real suede… A bit pricey considering, really!)


Apart from the gorgeous Brora gold earrings (which haven’t arrived yet) I also picked up the Zara biker trousers! Kate’s colour was khaki marl, and Zara recently released the same style in a different colour… Or did they?!

On the bottom you can see the originals and the new ones are on the top. Apart from the difference in the ribbing, there are also differences on the back, an extra zip on the originals and zipped ankles on the new ones! So, when you purchase, if you’re after Kate’s version, double check you’re buying the khaki marl version here.

Did you make any Royal Tour purchases? Let me know in the comments below!

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Game of Thrones Inspired Jewellery

If you’re a big Game of Thrones fan and you’d like to indulge in some retail therapy before the premiere of the new season this week, have I got a post for you! I love giving a subtle nod to some of my favourite shows and fictional characters in my outfits and accessories, so check out my picks for pieces to celebrate some of the most famous noble houses of Westeros!

House Baratheon

Baratheon

Red Hart Earrings, Clogau, £224

Pay homage to House Baratheon by celebrating the noble stag – Clogau also has some beautiful rings and pendants, all crafted from rose pink Welsh gold!

House Tyrell

Tyrell

Grecian Laurel-Leaf Bandeaux, Jennifer Behr, £250

Imagine the wind whipping through a golden field of corn, and the sun beating down on scented rosebeds. Celebrate the bounty of Highgarden with Jennifer Behr’s beautiful headpiece.

House Targaryen

Tessa Metcalfe pigeon grasp

Pigeon Grasp Ring, Tessa Metcalfe, £85

No one needs to know your dragon claws are merely pigeon’s feet. Just like Daenerys, fake it ’til you make it with Tessa Metcalfe’s gloriously quirky pigeon grasp rings!

House Lannister

Lannister

Large Lion Head Pendant, Azuni, £50

Hear me roar! Lannisters are famous for paying their debts, having loads of gold, and being really, really fond of lions. You can tick off at least two of those boxes with this fantastic lion’s head pendant, which also comes in a smaller version.

House Martell

House Martell

Timeless Rose Gold Vermeil Cuff, Links of London, £525

Distil the essence of Sunspear into a piece of jewellery and you’d get this elegant rose gold cuff from Links of London.

House Stark

Stark

Large Snowflake Pendant, Azuni, £50

The famously chilly home of the Starks, Winterfell, lends its icy grace to this delicate snowflake pendant from Azuni. I don’t think it’ll ward off any Boltons, though…

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Valentine’s Day 2016: Gift Ideas for Him and Her

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, so I thought I’d put together some ideas for treats – whether you’re buying for yourself or a partner, I hope you find some inspiration!

Valentine's Gifts for Her 2016

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Beulah Sample Sale

Last week I was in London for work at the same time as the Beulah London sample sale started! I’d never been to the Beulah store so I decided to take an hour out for lunch to pop along to visit. Here’s a spoiler:

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Bayswater Clutch: A Classic Wardrobe Staple

If there’s one thing that every fashion expert will tell you, it’s that you should invest in classic pieces – those fashion staples you can use year on year…

After seeing how versatile my Valentine’s Bayswater clutch is – and how often Kate Middleton uses hers in black suede – I couldn’t resist picking up a black leather version!

This is the glossy goat leather – Mulberry have just changed to a different leather called small classic grain, which has a slightly different finish. Getting hold of this clutch was a mission in itself, but I tracked down one of the last four in the country in Birmingham’s branch of Harvey Nichols!

The great thing about this clutch is that it’s just about big enough to use as a bag if you’re only carrying a few cards, your phone and a lippy – but it’s also stylish and small enough to use as an evening bag. The chain is detachable but I like to use it as a shoulder bag, because the chain is just beautiful!

Check out the clutch online in a variety of colours here: http://www.mulberry.com/shop/women/bags/shoulder-bags/bayswater-clutch-wallet-black-small-classic-grain. (And, if you hurry, there are still some colours on sale including peony pink, poppy red and mandarin!)

Channel Kate’s Style in Autumn 2015

If you want to pick up some classic pieces that will serve you well year after year, then you should look no further for inspiration than the wardrobe of Kate, Duchess of Cambridge. If you follow me you know I’m a big fan, and I love picking up pieces the duchess has worn, because I know that they’re always great quality and will last for seasons.

With that in mind, I’ve put together a list of some of my favourite items that Kate has been seen in, that are still available now. Each one of these has been tried and tested by me, and I’ve worn them time and again!

Channel Kate's style

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Best Festive Sweaters: Christmas Jumper Round-up 2015!

I’m not going to lie. From November until January, I wear as many Christmas jumpers as I possibly can. December is obviously reserved for the most Christmassy of my collection, but there’s nothing wrong with wearing a nice Fair Isle inspired sweater, or a cute reindeer print in the dark days of January (and beyond…?)

With that in mind, I’ve scoured some of my favourite retailers to bring you my best of the festive selection!

The Best Christmas Jumpers

Here’s where to get your hands on these beauties, starting from the top left, then moving left to right, row by row:

Which is your favourite? I have to say, it’s hard for me to pick, but the Joules navy stripe with stag print might just be my favourite – I’ve purchase one, and it’s so soft I don’t want to take it off! And, as a bonus, the stag head is knitted with gold sparkly wool, too! Heaven!

9043927695390

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Summer Trends for 2015!

There’s no denying it – the muggy summer heat is upon us, and even here in Blighty, there are days when I can’t even go out into the garden without breaking into a sweat. Every year we have a new crop of summer trend articles to tell us what’s in this season (hint: usually a combination of safari prints, nautical themes, and neons or brights), but which one of those are actually worth following?

First and most important, let’s not forget hats. Wouldn’t the world be a nicer place if we all wore hats? I have no evidence to prove either way, so I’m going to go with a hearty YES. The boho trend is big this year, and big, floppy hats look absolutely gorgeous paired with floaty summer tops – think cream fabrics, lace and embroidery. I, on the other hand, like to err on the more formal side of the hat equation!

Ascot Hat

Of course, you can also channel the ‘floppy hat’ trend into something a bit more formal too – go for a stiffer material, and something with a darker colour, like this hat from Hobbs I wore to the Coronation Festival at Buckingham Palace:

Buckingham Palace hat

The other great love of my (fashion) life is nautical style, especially Breton tops. These stripy sailor tops have been in fashion since Coco Chanel translated them from peasant garb to couture in the early years of the last century. They’ve been catapulted into the spotlight recently by some high profile appearances in the wardrobe of the Duchess of Cambridge. Kate has been spotted wearing ME + EM’s Breton tops in both white on navy and cobalt on white – it might not be on the runways this year, but you can always count on a Breton top to take you through the seasons year after year. I love J.Crew’s St James top (here) and Joules’ Harbour tops (here), while the ME+EM tops are available here.

Finally, if it’s shoes you’re after, don’t forget that the ghost of ’70s fashion is still haunting the runways. You can channel this with some cool wooden effect wedges – perfect for summer, easy to walk in, and not so ’70s that the ghost of Farrah Fawcett will rise up and snatch them off your feet…

Wedges

I love these two part closed wedges from Next – and if you wait until Saturday, they’ll be half price in the sale!

What’s your favourite summer trend this year?

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